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Charlene Soraia
A 21 year old who is old before her years, Charlene invites us into her world and answers our questions in return
At six and a half minutes long, ‘When We Were Five’ is not your average single, in fact 21 year old Charlene Soraia doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word. From its hushed opening bars to its intricate chord progressions and trumpet flourishes, her debut single flees from the orthodox and hides in the darkened corners of a world of a vivid imagination. Charlene’s skillful (self taught) mastery of the guitar and delicately delivered, emotive vocals paint an almost surreal musical landscape that sounds something like an audio described sun-set, screaming in sadness for the loss of the day. Her avant-garde approach to songwriting, creative use of tempo and exquisite ear for melody create a thoroughly original take on the traditional ‘single’. This impressive debut looks set to both melt hearts and warm them at the same time when it is released at the end of the summer. And will surely whet a few appetites for her album ‘Moonchild’ due to follow in October, which promises to be a perfect soundtrack for the falling leaves of Autumn. Born and raised in Sydenham, Charlene picked up her first guitar at the tender and impressionable age of 5, an occasion which had a lasting and profound effect. Since performing for the first time at just 8 years old, music has been the summary of her entire existence. Thanks to her innate talent and quickly flourishing intelligent sound, she was accepted to London’s BRIT School, which has helped to mould other artists like Imogen Heap and Katie Melua. Charlene’s love of the guitar has found her exploring a diverse range of genres to develop her distinctive fretflexing style including everything from Psychedelia and Jazz to Prog Rock. She straddles a 1973 Japanese 335, which she re-built herself. Without having released a proper single, she has already toured with fellow Stephen Fretwell, Howard Elliot Payne, Kami Thompson and Jon Allen. With her thoroughly charming idiosyncratic style and staggering musical adroitness, it’s only a matter of time before Charlene Soraia is a household name…
How are you? Where does this Q&A find you?
I'm great thanks! It's my birthday today, so I'm a little fragile after an incredible weekend of working out the universe! And I've just decided to invite the guy who's making my music video for When We Were Five to come down to Secret Garden Party and film some super 8 shennanigans this weekend! What a wonderful day! So, hello...
How did the recording sessions for your latest release go? Did you achieve all you’d planned to?
When We Were Five wasn't at all planned so there wasn't must to be achieved! I was playing these 3 ideas in the live room and my producer, Paul Stacey (Oasis, Black Crowes), asked me to put the last thing I was playing first and play it again. So I did. Then he asked me to do it all again with some super high descant singing at the beginning. So I did. Then he asked me to do it one more time. So I did. Then he asked to come back into the mixing room and listen. So I did. And I liked it! I didn't know he'd pressed record and then he dived into a cupboard and brought out this incredibly sexy vintage Memory Moog and we found some pretty sounds. Then we got his brother Jeremy Stacey to play drums on it the last section that goes into 5/4, he's an incredible jazz drummer! He really "got" it, y'know? Then Paul put some sexy bass over the last section and we got in his friend Paul Edmonds to play this amazing freeform trumpet stuff. It wasn't all trial and error, we were very select over what we chose for the song. It had to be musically interesting and not just for the sake of sounds like a lot of modern music is. It was a beautiful experiment. And a beautiful experience. Yeah... I know it's not commercial whatsoever, but I really don't care. I needed to let people hear what music really is and can be again.
What goals did you set yourself before you started recording? Did you do anything differently this time, on purpose? If so, why?
I spent 6 months touring with Jon Allen, Kami Thompson and Howard Elliot Payne, then I played Glastonbury and went straight into recording, so I didn't have much time to prepare. The thing that was different about this record to the previous EPs I'd released was that I spent a lot longer getting the sounds right. Less post production. It was all about playing well and feeling what I was playing and experimenting to find the right guitar sound. The album has come out quite dark because I was in a lonely place in life and there are a couple songs I wanted to get on the album, but I just wasn't able to perform them right whilst recording, so I've left them off. There's a track called Bike which is a bittersweet "i love you so much I could leave you" vibe isn't on there because I couldn't sing it convincingly. Some of my friends think it's a shame, but I think its just being honest. I'm glad I didn't record it, I wasn't happy with how I was performing it, and I couldn't lie. I would hate to release something I wasn't honestly happy with. I suppose the beautiful part was that it was my producer Paul who recognised it.
What do you feel are your own limitations when it comes to creating/writing music?
My only limitation is my nervousness of playing it all live to be honest! I write what I write and I sit in that colour/ mood/ place and I write it. I don't try and write a song about something in particular, so I guess I'm quite autobiographical. I've never made my recorded music "busy" with lots of other instruments because I get scared about being unable to play it live. I've been a session musician and it's not nice when you're not paid well and I don't want to "use" people in the way I've been used musically. I have a drummer and a bassist and I'm honest and pay them what I can, when I can. But, y'know, it's not easy.
What do you consider to be your best 3 songs, and tell us the inspiration behind them?
When We Were Five- Inspired by not being able to speak or be with the one you love despite the fact you believe you both feel like you want to be with each other still?!! We acted like childre when we were with eachother... And I was pining after him. I've got another song that pines as well, it's called Rowing. So that's where how and what this song is about.
Daffodils- I fell in love. And this is literally what we did that day. All of it is true, other then the "there was not much to be found in your eyes". I couldn't sing the proper lyrics cos it was my ex who was recording the song, so I changed it. I should have been more confident with it, but I wasn't.
Postcards form iO- I used to be very unwell and lonely and sad and down and mooch and the rest of it, and this song is a desperate plea to the outside world of the house I was locked in. iO is a volcanic Moon of Jupiter, and I often feel as lonely as that. Erm, I always spell it iO because it looks prettier then spelling it that way!
What do you love and what do you hate about life on the road? Tell us your funniest tour experience yet?
I love being able to play to lots of different people over the country, I miss touring, haven't been out for a little while. The journey between towns is always fun, unless you miss a train, thats a drag! But the funniest thing on tour, well, I spent a lot of time on the road with Jon Allen in his car, and all we did was laugh and joke and quote spinal tap. Kami Thompson and I spent some nights putting our drinks into gear and being amazed at Jon playing a right handed guitar left handed and upside down? Oh ho confluffled we were
How would you describe your own/bands sound, or what do you hate being labelled as?
I hate being labelled as just some next folk guitar girl. Because I'm not really folk at all. I'm purely a guitarist who writes guitar music. Not necessarily folk. I use a lot of jazz chords but I'm not jazz because I don't sing with one of those jazzy voices. I dunno... I'm lost as to what exactly I am. I just do what I do. I'm a self taught guitarist who's been playing since she was 5. I started playing open mics when I was 8. I just do what I do. I'd like to be labelled as a competant experimental guitarist who sings some? I'm don't know!!
Who is currently moving you musically at the moment?
Oh, Robert Wyatt. I love him. The entire album Rock Bottom is outstanding. Lyrically and melodically. It's not many peoples' cup of tea, because it's strange in a way that the cool kids sometimes really don't get. It's true cool! Oh I love it! I was curiously afraid and half dismissed it when I got it a couple years ago, but I just love it now. I hope my album grows on people the way an album like this grew on me. That would be an honour! I don't know many people who get the music I like. My friend Kwes gets a lot of music I like. Maybe it's a synesthesic thing?
What album changed your life and why?
David Bowie's Space Oddity. I was 8 and he was precious. Obviously the title track is incredible and that's what got me into him, but Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud and Letter to Hermione just moved me lyrically and harmonically and the colour of the music and the texture was just- ARGHH?!?! INCREDIBLE! Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed and God Knows I'm Good and An Occasional Dream and Memory of a Free Festival all have their unique scene and vision and the overall timbre and its just incredible. Oh I dunno, this album allowed me to hear music in a new way. It was like I knew this secret and no-one else got it. I'm still like that with music.
If you could erase one single/album from history (your own or someone else's) which would it be and why?
I have a song called (Does She Fake Her) Cumface and although I was very angry when I wrote it, I'm slightly ashamed of myself for actually playing it out. It's funny and there's nothing wrong with having humour in music, but I'd hate for people to think I'm malicious. I release through music because I'm not good at much else, and I'm completely over what happened for me to write that song. So, Girlie, if you're reading this, I'm sorry.
A rumour you'd like to start about yourself, or one you'd like stopped?
The one that I'm gay? I'm not so sure that is a rumour after all...
The revolution comes, who would you like to be first against the wall (and if you're feeling particularly bitchy, a second, third, fourth and so on...)?
The revolution is on it's way! One Love has always been here and people are becoming honest with themselves, their lives and the world is changing. It was never not changing, but the bullshit is on it's way out and people are starting to realise this. I am Post Post and you heard it here first. I'm not up for putting anyone on the line. I couldn't forgive myself. Guilt is a heavy mistress whose legs I don't want wrapped around my throat!
Best piece of advice you'd give to aspiring musicians, or the best piece of advice you were given when you started?
Don't try and be anything you're not, just accept that you can do what you do and you're able to do it well if you make the effort. If you want to do more, then you can do it. Get good at what you do. Don't become some post production junkie!
If you're in a car going at the speed of light, and someone turns the headlamps on, would they do anything?
Yeah, they'd turn on! I doubt they'd project the light forward because we would be travelling at that speed, but they would turn on! Relatively speaking, someone (on a moon or an asteroid or somewhere standing "still") could see the light in front of me, but I, in the vehicle, would see the light as trailing behind me.. Like the lighty streamy dusty tail of a comet... ...By "still" I mean relatively still. There's no such thing as still because we are all always moving and we all have been this whole time. We are always progressing and yet we've only ever been in this moment, right now. We should all feel happy that we are all apart of it, because we are it! It's beautiful. It's normal to be nostalgic and reminisce, but I do it all the fucking time and I feel like I need to start living right "now", in this present moment. I'm a big time worry warrior and I panic about what I need to get done but I wish I could just accept that it will happen and get on, but I find it hard. But I'm waking up, and I'm feeling present at this moment! Your big questions make me realise exactly what I'm doing right now.......... *sighs*.... Are you still with me? .... *miaow*..... I ate a lot of Lucy on the weekend for my birthday, and I love the fact you've asked this question. I don't wanna seem too hippy or too geeky but science seems to answer a lot of the beautiful reality of life. and life is beauteous! I've seen it!
One Love xxxxxxxxxx
‘When We Were Five’ is out on 9th August 2010, released by Seesaw Records
myspace.com/charlenesoraiajones
thanks to Cath at Sainted PR
Jeremy Chick
